strength
by Axletia Rosonetis
Summary: Some still thought Lillie as weak, but Wicke saw her as stronger than most. Oneshot.


_strength_

 _I'm still processing things so day two of sad children feelings, this time from an adult's POV. Here's something for Wicke that's sad and not sexualized, yay. /sarcasm_

 _note - implications of child abuse_

* * *

 _"One of these mornings_

 _You're gonna rise, rise up singing,_

 _You're gonna spread your wings,_

 _Child, and take, take to the sky,_

 _Lord, the sky." - Summertime_

Everyone thought Lillie was always the pure child, the one who could never hold any real resentment or anger in her. Gladion always lashed out at those around him, so he was expected to remain angry after Lusamine's self-absorbed, half-baked attempt at an apology and redemption. Rightfully so. But Lillie? Everyone saw her as the weak one, the one who could forgive everyone because she seemed to forgive her mother. She was nothing more than a little girl still grasping for her mother's approval and love. They watched her grow, and yet they ignored her growth.

Wicke felt guilty about not doing more for her, and she would always feel guilty, even though the damage had already been done. They were as close as a child and her mother's assistant-turned-babysitter _could_ be, but there was always the thought that she could've stepped out of her box to do _more_. Maybe if she did, Gladion wouldn't have turned so angry and cynical, and Lillie would've been able to explore and let out her own emotions much earlier. They were both still children; both still had time to grow, but they still fell behind their peers in understanding the world and themselves in general. Of all people, Moon showed them that.

And of all people, the adults showed them what it was like when it was too late. Lusamine only cared about herself, and Guzma had a naivety to trust whomever could acknowledge him, not who could give him what was best. He, too, was raised in such a cruel world that WIcke couldn't help but pity him. He still had a long way to go before he could help himself, let alone Gladion. She only hoped that Plumeria would help them couple of times they spoke over the phone, she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders. She wished _she_ could be like that, so strong and able to carry someone whenever they fell from the skies.

But Plumeria was strong. And Gladion was strong. And so was Lillie. Lillie was so beautiful and gentle, and she finally found her way. Soon she would even be going to Kanto, supposedly going on a journey to talk to Bill about her mother's illness, though Wicke believed it was more of a journey of self-discovery. At this point Lillie was concerned for Lusamine as a child was concerned for a stray cat. It wasn't necessarily an act of love as it was an act of human decency, though Lusamine didn't deserve it. Whether Lillie actually despised the woman like Gladion did, Wicke didn't know. Nor would she ever, she believed. Not that she minded. It was only between the three of them.

Although she still couldn't do much, Wicke was glad to be doing something now. Kneeling beside the giant bed where the president had once slept, she pushed Lillie's bangs to her sides. A few minutes ago, the girl woke up in a cold sweat screaming and crying, screaming for Nebby and Gladion and for anyone to help them. It was heartbreaking to know that she'd been suffering with this for a while now, and would continue to suffer like this for a long time. Wicke had wanted to pull her in a hug, but when she did Lillie had shoved her away, almost to the ground, and furiously shook her head. She needed space.

"Well, do you need anything?" Wicke had asked her afterwards.

There was a few moments of silence, and at first she took it as a sign to leave. But when she stood up to exit the bedroom, Lillie shook her head again, pulling on her nightgown. "I needed a mom," she whispered, "but now I just want a family."

"It's hard without your brother and Cosm- Nebby, isn't it?" A nod. ""You're gonna get to start over again, Miss Lillie. We'll both get to start over. I can't make up for your mom, but I can be part of your family, if you'll have me."

"But not Faba, right?"

"Of course not Faba, honey. You can stay as far away from Faba as you'd like."

Lillie didn't say anything but reached out and squeezed her hand. Wicke gently squeezed it back and held it tight until the child fell asleep again. After a while she pulled the covers under her chin and wiped away the loose strands, lost in deep thought. If she had to be honest, she wasn't quite sure how to be a family, either. Unbeknownst to the children, she had a lot of anxiety and fears of her own. Lusamine's harsh demands and restrictions affected her in negative ways as well. But she knew better now. If Gladion and Lillie could move past this towards the future, so could she. When Lillie came home from Kanto, she'd be waiting, and she would make Aether Paradise both a real paradise and a home for her new family. She'd have to work just as hard as the children, but it would all be worth it in the end, wouldn't it?

Watching Lillie sleep soundly, she took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. She'd never let Lillie be hurt again. She couldn't. She could no longer be weak to let it happen.


End file.
